Automatic stock-salter device



(No ModeL) r W. F. LAWLER.

AUTOMATIC STOCK SALTBR DEVIGE. I No. 550,758 Patented Dec. 3., 1895.

NITED STATES PAT NT FFICE.

\VILLIAM F. IJAWVLER, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pat ent No. 550,758, dated December 3, 1895.

Application filedFebruary 6, 1895. .Serial No. 537,533. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVVILLIAM F. LAWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and use- I ful Improvements in the Matter of a Certain Automatic Stock Salter Device; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in salt-troughs for stock, 850., and has for its object the production of improved and highly efficient means whereby the stock may feed themselves salt in small quantities and with little or no waste.

The invention comprises the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved trough with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on the line m m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view. Fig. 4 is a view of a slight modification.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a hopper the longitudinal sides of which converge toward the bottom, while the parallel end pieces a extend out beyond the front of the hopper the forward edges of said end pieces being inclined and slightly rounded. To the rear side of this hopper is secured an arm a designed to be secured to the side of a building, a f once-post, or any other convenient place. A cover a for trough A is pivoted at a whereby the same may be moved to one side at will.

B is a lick-trough the upturned edges of which extend entirely around and inclose the bottom of the hopper A, to which latter it is pivotally connected. The bottom of the licktrough is normally held flush against the bottom of the hopper and the extended portions of the end pieces thereof by a plate-spring O, secured, at one end to the arm a at b, and bearing at its free end down upon the rear transverse edge of the lick-trough, said end of the spring being curved to overlap said edge. "While this is the preferred form, yet

it is obvious that other means may be employed to accomplish this objectas, for instance, a weight D may be fastened to the rear side of the lick-trough, as shown in Fig. 4. The end pieces of the hopper are projected forward to the front edge of the lick-trough and form guides for the salt as it passes from the hopper into'the trough.

Lengthwise of the opening in the bottom of the hopper is placed a bar or cut-off E, preferably square in cross-section and having reduced rounded ends d, passed through openings in the end pieces of said hopper and rigidly secured in the upturned ends of the licktrough, said bar forming the pivot for said trough.

The operation of my improved stock-salter is as follows: The hopper Ais first filled with salt, the lick-trough bearing against the lower edges of the hopper and forming a bottom therefor. The bar or cut-off E so fills the bottom of the hopper as to leave but a small space or aperture in either side thereof for the passage of the salt to the lick-trough. An animal in order to obtain the salt will bear on the lickboard with its lips or tongue, whereupon said lick-board is lowered as against the action of the spring, causing a slight movement of bar or cut-off E, whereby the aperture between said bar and the bottom of hopper A is slightly widened, allowing a small quantity of salt to flow onto the licktrough, where it can be easily obtained by the animal. Upon removal of pressure from the lick-trough the latter is instantly returned to its normal position by the spring 0.

My improved stock-salter is extremely simple and inexpensive and it will be seen that there can be but little or no waste of salt in the use thereof.

I claim as my invention- 1. The herein-described improved stocksalter, comprising a hopper, a lick trough pivotally secured thereto, means for normally holding said lick trough against the bottom of said hopper, and a pivoted cut-off located in said hopper and connected to said lick trough, whereby said cut-off is operated by the depression of said lick trough and caused to regulate the flow of material from said hopper, substantially asset forth.

2. The herein-described improved stock salter, comprising a hopper, means for supporting the same, a lick-trough pivotally con nected thereto, a spring for normally holding said lick trough against the bottom of said hopper, and a pivoted cut-off located in said hopper and having reduced ends connected to said lick trough, whereby said cut off is operated by the depression of said lick trough and caused to regulate the flow of material from said hopper, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described improved stocksalter, comprising the hopper, the out off pivotally mounted in the bottom of said hopper and having reduced ends passed through openings in the ends of said hopper, said outoff being adapted to regulate the flow of material from said hopper the lick-trough pivotally mounted on the reduced ends of said bar and adapted to operate said cut-off, and means for normally holding said lick-trough against the bottom of said hopper, substantially as set forth.

4. The herein-described improved stocksalter, comprising the hopper open at its bot tom, the pivoted lick-trough normally bearing against the bottom of said hopper, the cut off located in the bottom of said hopper and connected to said lick trough, whereby said bar will be partially turned by said licktrough when the same is moved out of its normal position, said cut-off being adapted to regulate the flow of material from said hopper substantially as set forth.

5. The herein-described improved stocksalter, comprising the hopper open at its bot tom, the pivoted lick trough, the spring bearing thereon causing said lick-trough to normally bear against the bottom of said hopper, the bar or cut-off located in the bottom of said hopper, and connected to said lick-trough, whereby said bar or cut-off will be partially turned by said lick-trough when the same is moved out of its normal position, said cut-off being adapted to regulate the flow of material from said hopper substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

NVILLIAM F. LAVVLER.

Witnesses FRANK P. FOSTER, FRANK MATTHEWS. 

